Intersectional relationships between coping with virtual learning spaces, dyslexia and English as a second language during the COVID-19 pandemic:
A case study on six female London based higher education learners of West African heritage
Keywords:
intersectionality, COVID-19, dyslexia, online learning, marginalisationAbstract
This paper addresses the gap in intersectionality discourse by exploring how the move towards online learning during the COVID-19 lockdown in the UK served as an agent of discord resulting in disparities in technology accessibility and support provision. Six West African working-class mothers with a diagnosis of dyslexia in higher education, living in London were recruited for the study using the convenience sampling method. Due to the COVID-19 crisis and restrictions with face-to-face contact, all semi-structured interviews were conducted remotely. The four themes identified, highlighted findings around online learning spaces, dyslexia support, ableist constructions, motherhood and home schooling.
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